Come join me for breakfast

Pictures from Penang trip

Keep myself busy

Its been more than a month since I retired. On the personal side, I have managed to settle many outstanding issues during that time. Banks, medical, epf, retirement benefits etc. On the professional side, I attended an interview at a company that has just received permission to build a combined cycle power plant in Selangor. Being a greenhorn in the power plant business, the company is busy recruiting people with experienced. That's where I come in but don't know if I will get the job or not. Meantime, I keep busy with Uber driving. Something totally new to me but the income is decent enough to make me do it. Plus the savings that I have, it should be enough to keep the family going if everything else do not materialise. 

The longest day

Yesterday was the longest time I drove. I drove from seven in the morning till night reaching home only at about ten. Don't know how many kilometres in total but must be near a thousand. I was in Gombak, Subang Jaya, Sunway, KL, Mount Kiara, PJ, Bangsar etc. I was everywhere the riders would take me. At one time, I couldn't stop as the request keep coming. I couldn't go offline as before I was able to send off the current rider, there was already another request from another rider. I had to go on and on. It went on for about five riders I think. I really wanted to stop but couldn't. Towards the end of the day when I was already tired and worn out, I had to send a rider to KLIA. Hmmm...... that's the life of an Uber driver.

Contented and don't care

I salute the students who rallied yesterday. At least they are brave unlike many of us who NATO most of the time. It may not have the impact that they wanted but it is more than most of us ever do. The support was lukewarm to say the least. Maybe people are tired of rallies already but hopefully people are still not tired to read and understand the facts and to exercise their right. Billions of dollars have been lost but we act as if nothing has happened! What does it take to trigger the awakening in us? Many more billions? Or we leave it to others to fight our fight while we continue with our daily lives, content and not caring at all?

How to stop them?

The All Blacks may have lose a few top players through retirement but the team just move on. Its the changing of the guard but it is has had no effect on the team. They have continued to take off from where they left after the World cup, as if nothing has happened. In fact they have flown off the block this season. Crushing Australia in their latest match. Winning all three matches against Wales earlier. They are just awesome. First class players are being churned out like there's no end to the mill. I enjoy watching them. Its a pleasure to watch. How to stop them? 

An exciting season

The Premier league sure is exciting these days but for a reason that is different from what we always think. We always think its the players who make it exciting. They are the ones on show, week after week, year after year. Scoring goals, displaying skills plus their antics on and off the field. But not anymore. These days things can be quite different. That's what is happening with the premier league. It is exciting because of the managers, at least to me it is. We have the special one in Maurinho. We have cool calculating Guirdola. We have exciting Kloop. We have wily Wenger. We have quiet but effective Pochetino. Then there's Koeman, there's Conte, there's Bilic and not to forget Raneiri. A variety of them. It makes for an exciting season.

That's the role

This morning, while leading the morning prayers, I forgot again. Almost finishing but at that instant, the verse just disappeared from my head. That got me stuck. In the end, I couldn't finished the 'surah'. Ninety nine times out of hundred, in sha Allah, I will be able to remember but these things do happened. That one time out of hundred. It usually happened when I am reciting 'surah' that I am not used to. Off course I can recite surah that I am familiar with but then it will mean repeating the same surah every few days. That certainly does not bore well with the congregation as well as myself. I need to be able to recite more surah, give me more variety, make it more interesting for the 'makmum'. That's the role of the imam. To make people want to come to the mosques. If you can do it by reciting a greater variety of surah, then do it.

That's the beauty of it

Driving the Uber has taken me to places I normally would not go. Will never go in fact cause there's no reason to. But since I started driving, I have been to Segambut, Jinjang, areas of Pucong which I never knew existed, Selayang, Batu Caves and many many other places. Its been fun actually. I meet all kind of people from all walks of life. Locals as well as foreigners. Some are quiet but some can be chatty. I entertained them all. Its a great way to make some much needed money for retirees like me. Off course its not a high flying job like having meetings, make presentations, write papers, make decisions, flying every month etc. but its okay. I enjoy it. When the day ends, my work ends. There's no loose ends. Nothing unfinished on the table. I want to drive the whole day, I want to drive half day, I don't want to drive today, its all up to me. Its my call. That's the beauty of it. After so many years, I am finally my own boss.

Just beginning

For a retiree, my time is quite occupied. I regularly lead the prayers at the local surau. I am task with giving religious talk every month. Then there are other errands to be done every now and then. Add to it my Uber driving, my time is pretty much taken up. Uber driving is a whole day affair although due to circumstances, I am unable to do that at the moment. I would like to do full time but now its mostly half days. Last Sunday, I have gave my religious talk. Alhamdulillah, I am getting better. The same with being the Imam. I have improved tremendously from when I first started. My reciting of the Quran is now with fewer mistakes. I try to improve all the time. I am experiencing all these at an age when most people are retired. For me, I am only just beginning!

Only starting

I have just ordered a new car, an axia. This out of necessity, not a want. I have sold my Mercedes. So now I am left with one car and one motorcycle. Thought I can do with the motorcycle while my wife drives the car but when I started driving the Uber, the present arrangement don't work anymore. So I need another car. As a retiree, getting a loan for a car is almost impossible. Therefore, I have to buy the new car in cash. What to do? Its a need. There's no two way about it. I have to buy so I have to buy. After this I need to work extra hard in order to recover the money. Like I said, most people my age are already in retirement or semi retired. Me, I am only starting, in more ways than one.

That's how it is

I am still finding a routine to my daily life after more than a month of retirement. At the moment, it is every day as it comes. There's no standard routine like the days when I was working. Sometimes I have something to do. Sometimes I have nothing to do. Sometimes I am busy the whole day. Sometimes I just spend my time reading the papers or watching TV. Since I started driving the Uber, there's an added dimension to my daily life routine. Who knows it might be the routine from now on. What I have to really take care is the time when I have my breakfast and lunch. When I was working, it was pretty much about the same. Now, they have gone haywire. There's no standard time. That is bad for the health. Being a retiree, I have more time for the surau so I lead the prayers more often now. That's how it is at the moment. I don't know what the future will bring forth but whatever it is, I am grateful to Allah all the same.

Continue to drive

Its a totally new experience for me driving an Uber. It is something I never expected to do but I am doing it now. Come to think of it, how many times have I said such things before? Its becoming quite often I guess! I never thought I would do something but I am doing it. This is another one of those things. It never crossed my mind that one day I would be driving an Uber (read taxi) but I am doing it now. And I am enjoying it! I do it out of necessity off course but I never thought I would enjoy it. If I do it seriously, full time, it can give me the much needed pocket money. Not much but enough to get by. Therefore, until such time when I find a new job, I will continue to drive.

High and low

On Tuesday, the take from my Uber drive was the best ever. It far exceeded my expectations. However, today, its the worst ever. No, nothing to do with not getting riders. As I said, riders are everywhere but it was the GPS that was giving the problem. Somehow, the GPS wasn't working today. As a result, I had difficulty picking up the riders after receiving the call. Its also difficult to send them to their destination unless they know the way themselves. If I have riders are from outside the country, then it will be almost impossible as they would not know the way themselves. After struggling for a few hours, by 11.30 am, I decided to give up. I don't want to be caught in a situation where I keep the rider waiting for the pick up, waiting for hours because I couldn't find the way. I also don't want to be caught in a situation when I pick up a rider who happened to be a foreigner and then I couldn't send him to his destination because I do not know the way.

Stronger than ever

Living the daily life has become a bit of a challenge since I retired more than a month ago. I try to be positive but at times it does get difficult. We are going through a turbulence path the length and height of which we do not know. At times, it gets to be really, really rough, so much so that it takes all of my wisdom, being older and wiser, to get through it. Yeah, these are difficult times. Its a time of reflection. Its a time of trying to do what is best. Its a time for patience. Its a time to test the strength, the courage, the heart, the mind and your faith in Allah. Is a time to stay strong. Like I have always said, take the life knocks on the chin and move on, stronger than ever.

Unthinkable

The Olympic is already half way through I believe but I have not been really able to follow the events as closely as I would like. The hours difference between here and Rio means that the main events normally happened when we are sleeping in Malaysia. That's the main reason I suppose. I missed the 100m sprint win by Bolt. That's the one I most wanted to see. Anyway, he did it again. A legend in every way. So is Micheal Phelps. That's even greater. Twenty three gold medals. Its unthinkable! To win even one is already a great achievement. What more to win twenty three! 

No nothing, just drive

I will stop driving for a while. Not because I need a rest or whatever but because I don't have a car to drive. I have been driving an Alza but the car belongs to my wife. When I drive, I will deprive her of  a car. She needs it when she needs it, for her and for the children. When the car is not available, it can make things difficult. So, I'm looking to buy an Axia, second hand. Then I can drive to my hearts content. Perhaps even drive the whole day long. Hope to settle the issue by this weekend so that I can have the car by early next week. Then I can start driving again. In a way, I find it to be a nice way to make some pocket money. No boss, no subordinates, no meetings, no deadline, no paper work, no working hours, no nothing. Just drive, that's all. I get tired of driving, I stop. There's no contract whatsoever. 

My U... experience

The first day, I drove from ten to twelve noon. Then in the afternoon from three to six. Today I drove from eight till twelve noon. All in all, I had twelve trips. The furthest was to KLIA. From my experience, riders are everywhere. All I need to do is to go online. Within minutes, the beep will sound, meaning there's a rider wanting a ride. Sometimes, I don't even have time to stop for a pee. To do that, I have to go offline. Otherwise, I won't be able to accept rides when the beep sounds. That is a definite no no. That's the beauty of Uber. Go anywhere, anytime unlike the normal taxis who pick and choose their rides. It should be the other way round, like Uber. I am enjoying my new profession. Its a great way to spend my retirement, while making a little bit of coffee money on the side.  

Finally I'm on

Finally I'm an Uber driver. Registered more than a week ago but has been hesitating when to actually start. At last yesterday, I took the plunge, so to speak. Drove all the way to Subang Jaya, where I planned to start my Uber driver experience. Its a place I'm familiar with. That will give me the added confidence. Reached there about 9.30am. At the last moment I had stomach ache. Had to find a place to relief myself. Anyway, by 10am I was all ready. I activated my Uber application and waited in the car. Within a minute, I received my first notification. Someone at SS 15/4D wanted a ride. Using waze plus my familiarity with Subang Jaya, I found the place easily enough. In came my first passenger. She wanted to go to Sunway college. Again, using waze, I found the way easily. And so it goes. By twelve noon I had three trips already. 

Photos from Penang Selama trip

 Old Classmates from Primary school. Memories from old days. Met at Selama town at Selama Cafe

Sg Seputih

At Line Clear Nasi Kandar

In front of Komtar

Maisarah and Munirah in the car

In hotel room at Sentral Seaview hotel. Nice hotel, friendly staffs, great location and breakfast with a beautiful sea view.

On the second bridge heading towards Penang

Batu Ferringhi

At Sg Seputih. Beautiful clear water with large rocks. great picnic area but a bit out of the way.

At Batu Ferringhi

To Penang and Selama

Went to Penang on Friday. Was there for two night before driving back to KL on Sunday. In between went to my hometown in Selama on Saturday for a short meeting with old classmates from my primary school days. Can't remember when was the last time I went to Selama. Must be many many years ago. The town hadn't changed much. The restaurant where my father used to have his office is still there by the football field. Still a mamak restaurant just like the old days. My primary school is still there but I couldn't find the house that I used to live in Jalan Mentri. Its not there anymore. The house in Taman Merdeka is still there although Taman Merdeka has changed so much I can hardly recognised it.   All in all, it was worth the trip. I will do it again if I can find the time.

An eventful day

What started out as a supposed to be a non eventful day turned out to be exactly the opposite. I was busy in the morning showing the car to a prospective buyer. In the afternoon I had to do the same thing again to another prospective buyer. Then I had to send the car to the workshop because the boot couldn't close after I opened it for them to see. I left it at the workshop and walked home for a rest. Later in the day, I went to pick the car only to be told the repair was not done as there was no available spare part. He wanted to do it tomorrow (today) but I told him I am going to Penang today. In the end I took back the car without the repair done. By the time it all ended, it was already almost seven in the evening. Anyway, the day ended on a positive note. I finally found a buyer. Will hand over the car on Monday after I come back from Penang in sha Allah.

I'm on

Yesterday I went to register as an Uber driver. It was a simple exercise that took me only about one and a half hour including briefing by them. So now I am all set to drive. All I need to do is activate the application that is already set in my hand phone and off I go. I am thinking when and where to start. Most probably I will start in a place I am familiar with. Then I will have no problem with the roads. Although Uber will provide me with directions, I prefer to start in a place I am familiar with, meaning not having to rely on the gadget, at least for now. Next week after coming back from Selama I will start.

Its a scam alright!

This is the car that I advertised for sale. It attracted a few queries including a few would be scammers. One has already transferred money to my bank account based on my asking price but the catch is I have to pay sixty per cent first before the money can be released. Its some banking regulation laws that has to be followed as explained in the e mail. When I didn't pay knowing that it is a scam, I am now being threatened. I have to pay within 12 hours or I will be arrested by FBI and Interpol. Sigh........ One have to be very careful with the internet. Scammers are everywhere! People have lost thousands, even millions through these tricks.

 

 

 

 

 

Something is not right

When I advertised my car for sale, among the calls or emails that I received were from a person in Brazil and another from a person who is working off shore. They both want to buy my car. The strange thing is both have not seen it. Yet they are ready to pay my asking price. One wants to ship it to Brazil while the other wants to ship it to the Philippines for his son who is studying there. All they need is my bank account plus my e mail or phone number. Somehow, something seem not right! I have given my bank account to one while the other one I have not. I suspect something is on. A scam maybe? What can they do if they have my bank account number? I am worried about the one that I have given the account number.

Finding my way

Staying at home doing nothing can be rewarding but not for long I suppose. I am enjoying my free time but at times I do feel that I need to do something. Otherwise, boredom will set in. At my age, its the last thing I want. I need to keep my brain active. Not doing anything will cause it to be stale An active brain will reciprocate to the body and the physical well being. That's why I need to do something! Already now, my breakfast and lunch have gone haywire. The times are not consistent. That is a bad sign. When I was working, breakfast and lunch were taken consistently at almost the same time everyday except for weekend. I need to get to the routine. At the moment, I'm still finding my way as a pensioner. 

Classmates of fifty years ago

This weekend I might be traveling up north again. This time to my hometown, Selama Perak. Been many many years since I was last there, can't even remember when it was. This time its about old classmates reunion. I did my primary school there, from standard one to standard six, 6 to 12 years old. Minus my age now of sixty years old, its more than fifty years ago. The Whats up application got us together again in cyberspace although not all but a few of us. That's how the reunion came about. Looking forward to meet again, grandfathers and grandmothers now. We were kids when we last met. Lets see how it will end up.